Pivot assembly for haymaking machines and the like

ABSTRACT

A pivot assembly for the inwardly swingable outrigger beam of a rotary-rake haymaking implement having a pair of hollow beam sections relatively swingable to include an angle of 90* between them in one position thereof and axially aligned in another position thereof, a shaft extending through the beam sections and axially subdivided into a pair of interconnectable shaft sections disengaged from one another in said one position and mutually interconnected in said other position of the beam sections, and a ball joint interconnecting said beam sections for relative pivotal movement thereof between these positions about a vertical axis, laterally offset from the shaft in said other position and perpendicular to the axis thereof, and a horizontal axis generally parallel to one of the shaft sections, the axes intersecting one another.

United States Patent Purrer 1 Feb. 1, 1972 i541 PIVOT ASSEMBLY FOR HAYMAKING MACHINES AND THE LIKE [72] Inventor: Josef Purrer, Gottmadingen, Germany [73] Assignee: Maschirienfabrik Fahr Alrtiengesellschaft,

Gottmadingen, Germany I [22] Filed: June 19, 1967 [21] Appl.No.: 647,065

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data June 24, 1966 Germany ..M 69954 [52] US. Cl ..287/99, 56/370 [51] Int. Cl. ..Floc 11/00 [58] Field of Search ..287/99, 14; 198/213; 64/1; 56/370 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,240,359 9/1917 OReilly ....287/14 1,689,963 10/1928 Pelton ..198/213 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 581,657 10/1946 Great Britain ..287/14 Primary Examiner-David J. Williamowsky Assistant ExaminerAndrew V. Kundrat Attornryl(arl F. Ross [5 7] ABSTRACT A pivot assembly for the inwardly swingable outrigger beam of a rotary-rake haymaking implement having a pair of hollow beam sections relatively swingable to include an angle of 90 between them in one position thereof and axially aligned in another position thereof, a shaft extending through the beam sections and axially subdivided into a pair of interconnectable shaft sections disengaged from one another in said one position and mutually interconnected in said other position of the beam sections, and a ball joint interconnecting said beam sections for relative pivotal movement thereof between these positions about a vertical axis, laterally offset from the shaft in said other position and perpendicular to the axis thereof, and a horizontal axis generally parallel to one of the shaft sections, the axes intersecting one another.

4 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures Pmmzm H972 3.636.977

SHEEI '1- UF 4 Josef PUrrer In van for.

B Y \gf Attorney PATENIEB rm I 1972 saw '3 [1P4 Josef Pijrrer //'1 van for Attorney PIVOT ASSEMBLY FOR HAYMAKING MACHINES AND THE LIKE SPECIFICATION FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the line lll-lllofFlG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view ofa portion ofthe device of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are plan views of the interconnected parts of My present invention relates to a pivot assembly for 5 "hepivotassemblyiand haymaking machines and, more particularly, to a haymaking machine having a support beam for a plurality of rotary rakes which is subdivided longitudinally into a plurality of beam sections, and to the pivot means for interconnecting these sec-- 1 0 trons.

In the commonly assigned copending application Ser. No. 577,335, filed Sept. 6, 1966 and entitled HAYMAKING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING SAME", there is described and claimed a haymaking machine adapted to be drawn by a towing vehicle, e.g., an agricultural tractor and to be driven by the power-takeoff shaft thereof. This rake, turner or tedder comprises a generally horizontal beam which is subdivided longitudinally into a plurality of'beam sections, hingedly interconnected for swinging movement to enable the rotary rakes carried by these sections to be horizontally spaced apart transversely to the direction of movement of the implement during haymaking operations or to be disposed one behind another when the implement is to be transported over narrow roads. Each beam section may be provided with respective support wheels upon which the beam rides and a plurality of rake heads forming housings for bevel gearing adapted to transmit the motive force from a shaft extending through and along the beam to the individual rakes. The latter have hubs rotatable generally about upright axes and radical arms carrying at their extremities spring fingers for engagement with the ground crop. It will be recognized that several problems are involved in the pivot systems by which the beam sections are hingedly interconnected since in the extended position of the beam, the throughgoing shaft must be capable of transmitting power to the outermost rakes. In spite of the requirement for positive coupling of the beam sections, it is desirable that the outermost sections pivot about substantially vertical axes to permit the outer sections to swing inwardly and reduce the span of the machines. When the drive shaft passes through the beam sections, the difficulties increase. Moreover, the pivots are subject to considerable stress from ground unevenness, etc.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide a pivot assembly for hollow beam sections of the character described whereby the beam sections can be swung through angles of about 90. relatively to one another and yet can have their respective drive shafts coupled in an extended position of the unit.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved retaining means for a pivot assembly for adjoining beam sections which is substantially unaffected by variations in the terrain.

I have found that the foregoing objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter can be attained in a relatively simple system for pivotally connecting the beam sections of an articulated support for a haymaking machine and especially a hollow horizontal support through which a rake-drive shaft extends, wherein a pivot is provided in the form ofa ball joint between the articulated beam sections and is laterally offset from the axis of the shaft while affording pivoting movement about an axis (vertical) perpendicular thereto and at least limited pivoting movement about a horizontal axis parallel to one of the beam sections.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view, partly in axial section, of the articulating or pivot assembly of a beam section for haymaking machines;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the assembly in its angular state corresponding to the transport position of the machine, as contrasted with the operating position shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a haymaking implement embodying the invention.

Referring first to FIG. 7, it can be seen that the implement basically comprises a support beam 101 which is subdivided longitudinally into sections 102, 103, I04. I05 and 106 by a pair of pivots 107 and 108 having vertical axes and a pair of pivots 109 and 110 having horizontal axes. The tractor 111 has a drawbar 112 to which beam member 104 is attached by a linkage 113 and a power-takeoff shaft 114 to which the connecting shaft 115 is joined by universal couplings. The shaft 115 is connected to the input shaft 116 of the implement by another universal coupling and in the manner described in the commonly assigned copending application mentioned above. Motion is transmitted through a drive shaft in the hollow beams 102 through 106 to the rakes 117 whose overlapping patterns are represented in dot-dash lines. Each rake comprises a hub (not shown) driven by bevel gearing within the respective rake head 118 of the from the throughgoing shaft and with angularly equispaced radial arms 119 which carry spring fingers at their extremities as illustrated in the aforementioned copending application. When the apparatus is used for the raking, tedding or turning of hay, grass or other field crops, the beam 101 is extended transversely to the direction of advance of the implement (arrow 120) and treats a swath whose width W corresponds to the extended width of the assembly. For road transport, arms 103 and 105 are swung inwardly and rearwardly (dot-dash position) about their pivots 107 and 108, while arms 102 and 106 are swung upwardly and inwardly (dot-dash position) so that the contracted width w of the entire assembly is only a fraction of the original swath width. The pivots 107 through 110 may be constituted as described in connection with FIGS. 1 through 6.

In FIGS. 1 through 6 of the drawing, I show a pair of beam sections 1 and 12 which are hingedly interconnected for swinging movement about a pivotal axis represented at 5' and formed by the intersection ofa vertical plane thru axes X-X and Y-Y, the axis 5 being offset inwardly from the vertical axial plane P of the beam sections 1 and 12 in their extended state.

To this end, the support tube or beam section 1 is provided with a generally flat laterally extending flange 2 which, as indicated in FIGS. 3 and 5, lies generally in a horizontal plane and is offset from the axial plane p of the shaft 8, 11; in this flange 2, I provide an arcuate upstanding ridge 2 which is transverse to the plane of the flange 2 and is provided at angularly offset locations with throughgoing radial bores 3 and 4 (FIGS. 2 and 5). One of these bores (4) lies generally in the vertical plane p of the pivot axis YY while the other bore (3) lies in the vertical plane p, of the axis X-X. At the intersection of these planes and of the axes X-X and YY (FIG. 3), there is provided a ball joint which is described in greater detail below. This ball joint defines the vertical axis X-X. The horizontal plane P, of the ball joint contains the axes X-X and YY.

The ball joint is formed by the spherical head 6' of a ball member whose cylindrical shank 6 is located in the tubular boss 2a of flange 2 by a setscrew 6a. At the lowermost extremity of the cylindrical shaft 6, there is provided a downwardly projected joint tongue 7 which projects into a longitudinal slot 14 at the free end of a spring member 13. To receive the ball head 6, the lateral projection 12 of the tube 12 is formed with a spherical seat 12a which is open downwardly. Radially outwardly of this seat 12a with respect to the axis Z, there is provided a radial bore 12b in which a cylindrical locking bolt 16 is urged radially outwardly (arrow 120) by a compression spring 17, the bolt 16 being dimensioned for engagement in the bores 3 and 4. A handle 18 projects from the bolt 16 and passes through a slot 19 of the sleeve 12 to enable the operator to withdraw the bolt and swing the beam sections 1 and 12 relatively about the axis 2- Z.

The shaft sections 8 and 11, which deliver motive power to the rakes, as described in the aforementionedcopending application, are interconnected at the point of intersection ofthe planes by a coupling represented at 9, 10. This coupling can include a claw-shaped socket 9 whose axially open recesses 9a form notches which are engaged by the lateral pins 10 of the shaft 11. Thus, when the shaft 12 is swung in the clockwise sense about the axis ZZ, the pins 10 are engaged in the socket a. The shaft 8 thus is able to drive the shaft 11.

The assembly is resiliently held in place by locking strap 13 which is anchored by a bolt 15 to the beam 12 and underlies at its free end 13 the ball member 60. Thus, the strap 13, whose slot 14 receives the projection 7 of the ball member 6, bears upwardly against the ball member while drawing the section 12 downwardly. The handle 18 projects through the helicoidally extending camming slot 19 so that, as the lever 18 is rotated in the direction of arrow 18a (FIG. 6), the bolt 16 is drawn inwardly.

In the operating position of the machine corresponding to the solid-line illustration in FIG. 7 and the position of the beam sections 1, 12 of FIG. 1, the pins 10 are received in the socket 9 and the shaft sections 8 and 11 are interengaged. Thus, when the power-takeoff shaft 114 is driven, rotary movement is delivered to shaft 116 and thence, by gearing of the type illustrated in the copending application mentioned earlier, to the shaft 8, 11 for delivery to the rotors or rakes 117. In this position of the beam sections 1 and 12, the rakes span the maximum swath width W. It will be noted that the beam sections 102 through 106 are carried by respective support wheels e.g., as described in the copending application, so that uneveness of the ground during the operative movement of the vehicle and implement in the direction of arrow 120 often causes strain at the junction between the shaft sections. In the position of the device illustrated in FIG. 1, the bolt 16 is received in bore 3. Since the ball joint permits limited relative angular movement of beam sections 1 and 12 about the axis XX, uneveness can be accommodated without difficulty. The ability of the ball member 6 thereof to swing in the slot 14 permits such movement about the axis XX or YY without straining the joint. In fact, the slot 14 is dimensioned to permit an arcuate movement of at least 20 on either side of its normal position.

When it is desired to transport the apparatus over roadways, the outermost arms 102, 106 can be swung upwardly and the arms 103, 105 inwardly to the dot-dash position illustrated in FIG. 7. This swinging movement is permitted by withdrawing the bolt 16 of the respective pivot assembly and permitting it to be forced spring 17 into the other bore 4 upon pivotal movement through 90 (FIG. 2). This movement decouples the shaft sections 8 and 11 and affords compensation for road unevenness by permitting the members 1 and 12 to swing relatively through at least 20 on either side of the median position about the horizontal axis YY.

The invention described and illustrated is believed to admit of many modifications within the ability of persons skilled in the art, all such modifications being considered within the spirit and scope of the invention except as otherwise limited in the appended claims.

lclaim:

1. A pivot assembly comprising a pair of hollow beam sections relatively swingable to include an angle of less than l between them in one position thereof and axially aligned in another position thereof; a shaft extending through said beam sections and axially subdivided into a pair of interconnectable shaft sections disengaged from one another in said one position and mutually interconnected in said other position of said beam sections; and pivot means interconnecting said beam sections for relative pivotal movement thereof between said positions about a first axis laterally offset from said shaft in said other position and transverse to the axis thereof, and

about a second axis generally parallel to at least one of said shaft sections in at least one of said positions, said second axis intersecting said first axis at said pivot means.

2. The pivot assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said pivot means includes a ball member mounted on one of said beam sections at a location laterally offset from said shaft, and a socket member formed on the other of said beam sections and receiving said ball member, said members forming a ball joint permitting at least limited pivotal movement of said beam sections in all relative angular positions thereof about a horizontal axis parallel to at least one of said beam sections.

3. The pivot assembly defined in claim 2, further comprising a retaining strap fixed to said other beam section and underlying said ball member, said ball member and said strap being formed with mutually engaging formations permitting at least limited angular movement of said members about said horizontal axis and defining said limited angular movement.

4. The pivot assembly defined in claim 2, further comprising slidable bolt means having an axis coplanar with said second axis and carried by said other section while cooperating with said one of said beam sections for locking the assembly in said positions. 

1. A pivot assembly comprising a pair of hollow beam sections relatively swingable to include an angle of less than 180* between them in one position thereof and axially aligned in another position thereof; a shaft extending through said beam sections and axially subdivided into a pair of interconnectable shaft sections disengaged from one another in said one position and mutually interconnected in said other position of said beam sections; and pivot means interconnecting said beam sections for relative pivotal movement thereof between said positions about a first axis laterally offset from said shaft in said other position and transverse to the axis thereof, and about a second axis generally parallel to at least one of said shaft sections in at least one of said positions, said second axis intersecting said first axis at said pivot means.
 2. The pivot assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said pivot means includes a ball member mounted on one of said beam sections at a location laterally offset from said shaft, and a socket member formed on the other of said beam sections and receiving said ball member, said members forming a ball joint permitting at least limited pivotal movement of said beam sections in all relative angular positions thereof about a horizontal axis parallel to at least one of said beam sections.
 3. The pivot assembly defined in claim 2, further comprising a retaining strap fixed to said other beam section and underlying said ball member, said ball member and said strap being formed with mutually engaging formations permitting at least limited angular movement of said members about said horizontal axis and defining said limited angular movement.
 4. The pivot assembly defined in claim 2, further comprising slidable bolt means having an axis coplanar with said second axis and carried by said other section while cooperating with said one of said beam sections for locking the assembly in said positions. 